An Inside Look At America’s Study Habits

If you’ve ever wondered how your study habits compare to those of other U.S. students, you’re about to find out.

The American College of Education surveyed more than 2,300 students across 48 states, building a 10‑question index, with the top score being a perfect 100, to see just how seriously Americans take their schoolwork.

AMERICA’S REPORT CARD

What they found was only 44% of Americans report always doing their homework, and just 39% regularly participate in class discussions. With attendance, only 64% show up to class nine days out of ten, and when it comes to grades, just 14% were straight‑A students the last time they were in school.

State-by-state, Maine takes the crown with a score of 100. It was also the state with the highest GPA. Virginia follows at 99.1, with long study sessions and strong class engagement that fit its scholarly reputation. Texas (98.5) came in third with strong note‑taking skills and plenty of all‑nighters.

The state superlatives add even more color to the map. Mississippi ranks highest for preparedness, New Mexico leads in note‑taking, and Louisiana tops the nation in class participation — which feels extremely on‑brand for a state known for their liveliness. Massachusetts logs the longest study sessions, Idaho earns the best attendance record, and Vermont claims the strongest grades overall.

Nationally, the U.S. earned a report card that’s solid but could use a bit of work. Homework completion gets a B+ overall, note‑taking earns an A, and study session length lands at a B — signs that most students are putting in meaningful effort even if they’re not quite living in the library.

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